Shoe conditioning apparatus



1941- v A. L. RUSSELL ET AL ,786

SHOE CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1939 Patented Aug. 19, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE CONDITIONING APPARATUS Arthur L. Russell, Boston, and William M. Watson, Beverly, Mass., assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 8, 1939, Serial No. 278,120

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus particularly adapted for use in conditioning shoes or shoe soles and is herein illustrated as embodied in novel means for supporting the work and means for applying hot moist vapor to the work in restricted localities only.

The illustrated apparatus is particularly designed for use in the practice of an improved method of shoemaking disclosed in a copending application, Serial No. 278,119, filed June. 8, 1939, in the name of A. L. Russell, and the apparatus is adapted to operate simultaneously upon a pair of shoes to condition the inner marginal shank portions of the outsoles of the shoes and thereby to facilitate the performance of subsequent operations whereby these portions of the outsoles are caused to assume and permanently to retain the desired close relation to the uppers which is characteristic of so-called close-shank shoes.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrating what is now believed to be the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of our improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a view of the apparatus in central vertical cross-section; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the parts of the apparatus.

The device illustrated in the drawing may be termed a duplex conditioning apparatus inasmuch as it is adapted to condition simultaneously one right shoe and one left shoe. As shown,

the apparatus comprises a stand including two upright frame members 5, a hollow bar 6 which connects the upper portions of the members 15, and two lower bars 16 which connect the lower portions of the frame members l5. 7

At each side of the apparatus there is provided upon each frame member It a horn [1 (Fig. 2,) and an inclined surface It for cooperation with the horn in supporting a shoe in position to be operated upon. The horns I! are arranged to engage the sides of the uppers of the shoes and may be referred to as side supports or side rests. The inclined surfaces [8, which constitute shoe bottom rests, are arranged to engage the tread surfaces of the outsoles. The horns Ill and the inclined surfaces I 8 of one frame member engage the shoes near their toe ends and the corresponding parts of the other frame member engage the shoes near their heel ends, as suggested in Fig. 1 wherein the broken line H represents the outline of the outsole of a shoe operatively positioned with respect to the apparatus. The inclined surfaces l8 at opposite sides of the apparatus slope downwardly and outwardly or away from each other and are so disposed as to cooperate with the respective horns I! to provide cradles in which the shoes are sup ported in the positions shown in Fig. 2 with the edges of the shank portions of the outsoles at the inner sides of the shoes facing downwardly and with the tread faces of the outsoles also facing somewhat downwardly but being inclined so that the tread face of the outsole of the shoe S, which is a right shoe, is directed toward the tread face of the outsole of the shoe S, which is a left shoe. It will be seen that each shoe is positioned with the side of the upper which is to cover the inner side of the foot facing downwardly so that the inner marginal shank portion of the outsole which is to be conditioned is lowermost. the inclined bottom rest surfaces l8 and the horns or side rests H is such that the shoes, when placed in their cradles, will be maintained therein by gravity substantially in thepositions indicated by full lines in Fig. .2.

In order that the apparatus shall operate to condition the inner marginal shank portions of the. outsoles of the shoes, hot moist vapor or condensed steam is conducted by a supply pipe 20 to a chamber 19 formed within the hollow upper bar 6, the pipe 29 being preferably provided with a valve 5 to regulate the quantity of vapor or steam to be delivered to the chamber. The temperature of the vapor may be about F. and the pressure in the supply pipe '20 will preferably be so low (1 pound per square inch will be ample) that the vapor will be discharged against the work with little velocity. Formed at opposite ends of the chamber [9 are discharge nozzles each having a rectangular mouth or outlet port 2| about 3 inches wide and about 2 inches from top to bottom, the rims defining these outlets being inclined (at the same angles as the respective bottom supporting surfaces IB) and being arranged to be partially covered by the tread faces of the shank portions of the outsoles when the shoes are lodged on the horns I! and the inclined surfaces l8. As shown, the upper portion of each nozzle outlet or port 2| is located at a level which will enable the inside margin or extension 30 of the outsole to project of an inch or more below it and Moreover, the relative arrangement .of i

thus to bridge the upper portion of the nozzle outlet from side to side. Consequently, when a shoe is lodged on the horns H and the surfaces l8, as shown, a relatively narrow band or portion of the tread surface of the shank of the outsole and the coextensive edge face of the sole (together with the edge face of the corresponding portionof the welt, if the shoe is a welt shoe) will be exposed to the hot moist vapor issuing from the nozzle outlet 2|. The rim of the nozzle outlet also constitutes a bottom rest for the shoe, engaging the outsole of the shoe at a point located between the side rests or horns l1 and cooperating with the latter to constitute a threepoint support for the shoe. The side rests I! may be considered as supplemental shoe supporting means adapted to cooperate with the bottom rest formed by the rim of the nozzle outlet, with or without the further cooperation of the inclined surfaces l8, to provide a trough-like cradle in which the force of gravity will maintain a shoe with the tread of the outsole overlying the nozzle port or outlet.

Inasmuch as conditioning treatment by'the vapor is not required by the uppers of the shoes, it is desired to restrict the flow of the vapor accordingly. Consequently, each nozzle is provided with a shield consisting of a thin plate 22 preferably of non-rusting metal, such as brass, the upper edge of the plate being arranged to project into the shank crease between the upper and the welt (or between the upper and the outsole, according to whether the shoe is a welt shoe or a shoe not having a welt), the upper edge of the plate being curved, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, to conform generally to the corresponding longitudinal curvature of the shank crease in the shoe. The opposite ends of the plate 22 are preferably bent into confronting relation one to the other to provide Wings or tabs 23 arranged to embrace the upright side walls at opposite sides of the nozzle outlet 2|. These wings 23 serve to restrict the escape of vapor from the sides of the nozzle 2| and also to receive a supporting pin 24 by which the plate 22 is connected with the bar 6. By means of the pin 24 the plate is pivotally supported on the bar 6 so that the plate is capable of tilting about the pin 24 to vary the position of adjustment of the plate to accommodate shoes the outsoles of which are of varying thicknesses so that the creases between the outsoles and the uppers are located at different distances from the tread surfaces of the outsoles. A light spring 26 (Fig. l) coiled about one end of the pin 24 holds the plate 22 normally tipped outward against a stop 28 in position to enter the shank crease of the shoe.

The construction and relative arrangement of the horns l! and the inclined surfaces R8 are such that a shoe may be presented to the apparatus in an initial position, such as that indicated by dotted lines at S in Fig. 2, in which position of the shoe the inner marginal shank portion of the outsole is located opposite the nozzle outletbut is spaced some distance therefrom and the shoe, while it is supported by the horns I! and the inclined surfaces I3, may be tilted or shifted into the position indicated by full lines wherein said portion of the outsole is seated against the nozzle outlet so that it bridges the upper portion of the latter. In practice the shield 22 is tipped by the spring 26 away from the nozzle. outlet to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and a shoe may be positioned, as indicated by the dotted line position S so that the crease between the upper and its outsole is engaged by the upper edge of the shield. The shoe may then be shifted into the full line position thereby tipping the shield 22 until it finally occupies the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 wherein it determines the position of the shoe while the shoe is being conditioned. The shield will thus be properly positioned to protect the upper from the vapor and I to cooperate with the marginal extension of the outsole in closing the nozzle outlet so as to prevent the vapor from passing beyond the nozzle outlet any further than necessary to act upon the marginal portion of the shoe bottom. It will be noted that the shield will thus be properly positioned to perform its function regardless of the thickness of the outsole in the particular shoe which is being operated upon.

While the device herein illustrated is especially designed for supporting and treating shoes having attached soles it is likewise capable of being used for supporting and treating unattached soles. When used in treating unattached soles the soles will occupy substantially the same positions as the attached soles shown in Fig. 2, the unattached soles being supported by the inclined surfaces I8, which will engage the grain faces of the soles, and by the upper edges of the wings or tabs 23 of the shield plates 22, which will engage the edges of the soles.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Shoe conditioning apparatus comprising a shoe supporting nozzle having an inclined surface for engaging the tread face of the shank portion of the outsole of a shoe and a supply duct terminating in an emission port in said surface, supplemental shoe supporting surfaces arranged to engage the upper of the shoe in the forepart and heel portions thereof and to cooperate with said inclined surface to provide a trough-like cradle in which the force of gravity will maintain the tread of the outsole against said inclined surface when one side of the upper of the shoe lies on said supplemental means, means for supplying a conditioning fluid through said duct, and a shield for protecting the upper from the action of the conditioning fluid, said shield comprising a rigid plate overextending substantially the entire area of said' port but spaced therefrom so as to enter the crease between the upper and the outsole and being pivotally mounted for adjustment toward and from said port to accommodate shoes having'outsoles of different thicknesses.

2. Shoe conditioning apparatus comprising a shoe supporting nozzle having an outsole tread engaging surface and .a supply duct terminating in an emission port in said surface, supplemental shoe supporting means arranged to cooperate with said surface to provide a trough-like cradle in which the force of gravity will maintain the tread of the outsole against said surface when one side of the upper of the shoe lies on said supplemental means, means for supplying a conditioning fluid through said duct, and shoe positioning means engaging the shoe upper andcooperating with said surface and said supplemental means to position the shoe relatively to said port to expose the edge and the adjacent marginal portion only of the tread, at one side of the shank portion of the shoe to the action of said fluid.

3. Shoe conditioning apparatus comprising a shoe supporting nozzle having an outsole tread engaging surface and a supply duct terminating in an emission port in said surface, supplemental shoe supporting means arranged to cooperate with said surface to provide a trough-like cradle in which the force of gravity will maintain the tread of the outsole against said surface when one side of the upper of the shoe lies on said supplemental means, means for supplying a conditioning fluid through said duct, and a shield extending into the crease between the upper and the outsole for preventing said fluid from engaging the upper, said shield being pivotally mounted at a point below said duct and being movable from an initial position of engagement with the shoe to a final position in which it cooperates with said surface and said supplemental means to position the shoe relatively to said port to expose one edge of the outsole and the adjacent marginal portion only of the tread surface to the action of said fluid, a stop for determining the initial position of the shield, and means normally operative to hold the shield against said stop.

4. Shoe conditioning apparatus comprising a source of vapor, a stationary nozzle connected to receive vapor from said source, means for supporting a shoe with a marginal shank portion of its outsole at one side only of the shoe covering a portion of the nozzle outlet, and a pivotally mounted shield adapted to enter the crease bea tween the upper and the outsole of a shoe so positioned to protect the upper from the vapor, said shield being tiltable toward and from said nozzle outlet to accommodate shoes having outsole margins of different thicknesses.

5. Apparatus for treating marginal extensions of the outsoles of welt shoes comprising fixed shoe supporting means including a nozzle and a pivotally supported shield cooperatively related to be engaged respectively by the tread surface of the outsole extension and within the welt crease of the shoe, said nozzle being connected with a source of vapor and adapted to deliver said vapor to said outsole extension, and said shield being adjustable about its support for engagement within the welt creases of shoes having outsoles of different thicknesses and being constructed and arranged to prevent the vapor from engaging the shoe upper.

6. Shoe conditioning apparatus comprising a source of heated vapor, a nozzle connected to receive vapor from said source, a shield operatively associated with said nozzle for restricting the discharge of vapor therefrom, said shield having a portion adapted to enter the crease between the upper and the outsole of a shoe being presented to said apparatus to protect the upper from the vapor and said shield being pivotally mounted for tilting movement from an initial position of engagement with the shoe to a final position wherein it assists in positioning the shoe for the reception of said vapor, a stop for determining the initial position of the shield, and means for normally holding said shield against said stop.

7. Shoe conditioning apparatus comprising a source of heated vapor, a nozzle connected to receive vapor from said source, a side rest for the forepart of a shoe, a side rest for the rear part of a shoe, a bottom rest located between said side rests and cooperating with them to constitute a three-point support for a shoe, said side rests and said bottom rest being constructed and arranged to sustain a shoe with the inside marginal shank portion of its outsole infront of the outlet of said nozzle, and a shield adapted to enter the crease between the upper and the outsole in the inside shank portion of the shoe, said shield being mounted for movement with said shoe while the shoe is shifted from an initial position on said supporting means wherein said portion, of the outsole is spaced from said outlet to a final position wherein said outsole portion is seated against said outlet.

8. A cradle for holding a welt shoe positioned with one side facing downwardly, said cradle comprising a side rest for the forepart of the shoe upper, a side rest for the rear part of the shoe upper, a bottom rest located between said side rests for engaging the tread face of the shank portion of the outsole, and means constructed and arranged to enter the welt crease in the shank portion of the shoe and cooperate with said side rests and said bottom rest to support the shoe in a predetermined angular position.

9. A cradle for holding a shoe positioned with one side facing downwardly, said cradle comprising a side rest for the forepart of a shoe, a side rest for the rear part of the shoe, a bottom rest located between said side rests, and means constructed and arranged to be received within the crease between the upper and the tread sole in the shank portion of a shoe to assist in positioning the shoe relatively to said rests.

ARTHUR L. RUSSELL. WILLIAM M. WATSON. 

